Lubricating device.



N0: 801,670 PATENTED OCT. 10, 1905.

R. s. MEARS LUBRIGATING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED DEC}. 14. 1904.

I 3 SHEETS-SHEEI l.

WITNESSES: INVENTOB .1 Q fisifi fil gi No. 801,670. PATENTED OCT. 10, 1905.

E. s. MEARS. LUBRIGATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED DEG.14. 1904.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

INVENTOR- ATTORNEYS I PATEYTED OCT. 10, 1905.

E. S. MEAREL LUBRIOATING DEVICE.

APPLIOATION FILED 1330.14.1904.

3 SHBETS-SHEET 3.

AIME/Mm WITNESSES:

' Unimnn snares "A nn'r oniuon.

ROBERT S. MEARS, OF HUMANSVILLE, MISSOURI.

'LUBRICATING DEV-ICE.

'5 Missouri, have invented a new and Improved Lubricating Device, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to alubricating device which is capable of general use; but it is I especially adapted for oiling the valves and cylinders of locomotives and can be applied to any style of engine where it is desired to oil against steam-pressure. In the devices which are employed for similar purposes at the present time sight-feed glasses and gageglasses are' employed. These glasses sometimes break and cause personal injury to employees and also permit oil to escape. Moreover, in these devices the oil is subjected to a high heat on account of the presence of steam,

which injures the oil, and the adjustments have to be made in such a manner as toprovide for feedingthe oil in accordance with the working of the engine. When the engine is 5 at rest, they do not feed properly and it is necessary to adjust them by hand. The con.-

densation from the steam also. sometimes freezes, with bad results, as will be obvious. The principal objectsof my inventionare 0 to remedy these and othefi defects inexisting:

types of-lu'bricating devices.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,

- in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a locomotive,

l showing the manner in which my lubricating device can be applied thereto.- Fig. 2 is a side-elevation of one embodiment of my invention, showingparts insection.

. a plan view of the same, showing one-half of "'the'device in longitudinal central section. Fig. dis a rear elevation of the same; and Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view; on an enlarged scale, ofanother portion of the de vice; t

- 10 represents a'eylinder for containing oil' or other lubricant it is provided withan angleiitting 11, having u cap 12 for closing 5 thefitting'. This fitting is provided for the purposeof introducing lubricant into the cylinder; and it is preferably located at the np-, per part of the front end. Thecylinder is provided with a displacement-piston 13,.which is adapted to travel from the outer end inwardly in order to displace the lubricant in Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed December 14., 1904. Serial No- 236,820.

Fig. 3 is Patented Oct. 10, 1905.

A stufling-oox 14 is provided for making an oil-tight connection between the cylinder and piston, and a spanner-nut 15 is located on the outside of'the stalling-box.

In order to operate the piston, it is provided with a screw 16, and a nut 17 engaging therewith is adapted to move throughout the entire length of the screw, passing through an nut is provided. with a ratchet-wheel 19 and is mounted upon a frame 20 and secured in position by means of. a return-collar 21. A square returning-nut 22 is also connected with piston back to its extreme position. beunderstood that the bearing 23 on the nut 17 between the parts 19 and 21 is clamped in the frame 20 by means of a cap 24 and bolts 25 or in any other desiredmanner. It will be apparent that the step by.-step rotation of screw 16 and piston13 forward in' the cylinder, therebydisplacing the lubricant therein It is to be understood, of course, that the cylinder is secured on the fram'e20 by means of atop clamp 26 or any other equivalent device. f

In order to supply oil to bo thsides of the engine, a pair of'these cylinders is preferably provided, both being mounted in the same way parallel to each other and each being a duplicate of the other. An operating device for successively moving the two pistons for these cylinders forward a notch or several notches at a time, as desired by the operator, is shown in Fig. 4. This comprises a lever 27, pivoted to the frame 20 by,means of a bolt 28 or the like. Upon this lever are pivoted a pair of pawls 29, adapted to engage with the teeth of the ratchet-wheels 19. It will be readily understood that the oscillation of the lever 27 about its pivot will 'move first one of the pistons forward and then the other, each being moved forward an equal distance. In order to provide for operating one of the pawls is provided with an arm 30, which can spect to the teeth of the ratchet-wheels. Each oscillation"of the lever 27 will move the cyl-- inders one'or more notches, as desired.

' A preferred means of permitting and reguw the nut 17 for the purpose of drawing the,

It will the ratchet-wheel 19 will cause, the nut 17 to turn upon its axis and gradually force the" pistons without moving the other, each of the' be grasped in order to, hold. either of thepawls up out of operative position with re-- the cylinder and drive it to the desired points. i

opening 18 inthe rear of the piston.- This isting the feed of the lubricant from the cyl-.

inders 10 will now be described. At the front end of each cylinder is a passage 31, provided with a valve-seat 32. A retaining-valve 33 is provided for the seat, and a valve-rod 34', attached to the valve, is guided in a spider 35. This valve is mounted in a body 36, secured to the reduced end of the cylinder by means of a connection 37 It is so connected through the instru mentality of a ball-joint 38 as to permit an angular adjustment. Another ball-joint 39 is located between a branch of the body and the tallow-pipe 40, these two parts being joined by a connection 41 Bearing upon the spider 35 and surrounding the valve-stern 34 is a spring 42. On the other end this spring bears upon a screw 43. mounted in an adjusting-nut is, which is adjustahly secured to the end of the body '36. A cap-nut 4:5 is mounted upon the outside of this screw to protect it, as will be obvious. It will be readily understood that the tension of the spring 42 can be accurately adjusted by the nut 44: and screw 43 and that the device can be so regulated as to feed oil to the cylinders through the tallow-pipe 40 at any desired pressure.

5 shows the other end of the tallowpipe connected, by means of a ball-joint46 and a connection 47, with a casing 48, having a valve-seat for a second retaining-valve 50. This casing as is provided with a spring 51, adjusting-nut 52, screw 53, cap-nut 54:, ball-joint 5:, and connection 56, similar to correspondi 11g parts in the other portion of the apparatus, for connecting the casing with a steam-chest cover 57 through a steam-chest connection 58. The operation of these parts will be readily understood. 59 is a vent-plug stopping a 60, communicating with passage in whichthe retaining-valve 5D is located.

In adjusting a lubricator of this character to a locomotive it is mounted in any desired position, preferably within the cab and within easy reach of the. operator. The retaining-valves are properly adjusted when the caps 12 are removed from the filling-plugs 11. At this time the displacing-pistons will be at the rear ends of the cylinders. The cylinders may then be filled with oil or other lubricant until it overflows at the filling-plugs. The vent-plug 59 should then be removed, and the oil should be fed out of the cylinders into the tall-ow-pipes by working the lever 27. The oil passing intothe tallow-pipes and forcing the valves 33 back against the resistance of the springs d2 will drive the air out of the tallow-pipes through the vent-passages 60. When theoil appears at the vent-passages, the plugs 59 should be replaced. The retain; ing-i-alves are then adjusted by removing the cap-nuts 45 and 54 and adjusting the tension of the springs bymeans of the screws 4-3 and 53.

Pressure enough should be applied with so e) the adjusting-screws on the retaining-valve springs to overcome the vacuum when the engine is drifting, so as to prevent the robbing of the tallow pipes of oil. This will of course have to be done only when the lubricatdr is first applied to the engine. as'the adjustment having once been made will usually not have to be altered. It will be understood that at each stroke of the lever 27 one of the displacing-pistons is forced forward a definite amount and displaces a certain amount'of oil, forcing it by the first retaining-valve into the tallowpipe and also forcing an equal amount of oil by the second retaining-valve and into the passage therefrom to the steam-chest. This arrangement enables the engineer to lubricate the valves and cylinders with any desired amount of oil at'any and all times, whether working steam or not, with the least amount of trouble and without taking the attention of the operator from other work. A quantity of oil is discharged sufficient to lubricate all of the surface, even if the steam-chest or cylinders leak. When it is desired to withdraw the displacing-pistons, a wrench can be applied to the returning-nut 22, and the bands 29 being held out of operative positioh the pistons can be readily withdrawn to their extreme position at the rear.

A lubricating device constructed in accordance with the principle set forth above, Whether in the particular form illustrated or in any other form embodying that principle, will have many advantages over the lubricating devices now in use. The oil is not heated by steam, as is the case in a gravity-lubricator, and no steam connections are made to it. ,Con-

sequently no condensation is present and no trouble is occasioned by the freezing thereof. The device insure a. positive delivery of oil into the steam-chest at anytime, whether working steam or drifting, at the will of the operator, simply by moving a lever in each direction, the driving-screws being provided with right and left hand threads; the sightfeed glasses and gage-glasses now in use are entirelydone away with; the operation of the device is not afiected' by change of temperature, as is the case with the sight-feed and gravity lubricators, and the oil is not impaired by heating to a high degree, but is fed direct into the steam-chest in its natural state, thereby giving the best results. On account of the variation in Work of a locomotive no automatic lubricator will accommodate the engine to its demands for oil under the vary ing conditions of service without being continually adjusted. My device is simple and can be manufactured for much less cost than other lubricators of its size and capacity. It can be placed in any position in the cab and the cylinders turned as desired in the framc, being in the same horizontal plane, as shown, or in'the same vertical plane, if desired. This can be done by loosening the nut on the clamp 26 and turning the cylinders in an obvious manner. The lubricator can be filled at any time when the engine is running without shutting 0E steam, and shows the greatest economy in the use of oil, because none is wasted when the engine is standing idle. It also shows a saving in fuel, for the reason that the valves being properly oiled at all times the engine will work with a small .expenditure of power. If the valves become dry, the remedy can be applied instantly, and one-side can be oiled without applying an excess of oil to the other by simply throwing one of the pawls back and leaving the other. in operative position.

While I have illustrated and described a particular embodiment of'my invention, it willbe readily. understood that the principle thereof can be carried out in many other ways and that many modifications can be made in the form shown'.,

f-Having'thus described myinventioml claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A lubricating device comprising a pair of parallel cylinders for containing a lubricant, a displacement-pistonfor each cylinder,

' a screw connected with eachjpiston, aratchetwheel connected with each screw, a pawl position.

for each ratchetfwheeha lever pivotally mounted and pivotally connected with the pawls, and

I 2. A lubricating device, comprising a pair of parallel cylinders for containing a lubricant, and having an outlet, a piston for each cylinder, and means for operating the piston for adjusting said valve,

said screw.

means for holding the pawls in inoperative comprising a ratchet-wheel on each cylinder,

the'teeth on said ratchet-wheels being turned in opposite directions, alever pivoted between the cylinders, apawl pivotally connectedwith the lever and having two projections adapted to engage the teeth on the ratchetwl1eels, and

a screw connected with each ratchet-wheel, said screws being connected with the pistons for moving them..

3. A lubricating device, comprising means for feeding a lubricant, a tube into which said lubricant is fed, a casing connected with said tube and provided with a retainingyalve, yielding means for seating said valve, a screw an adjustablenut in which said screw is mounted, and a removable cap on said not for covering the screw.

4:. A lubricating device, comprising a cylinder for containing a. lubricant and having anoutlet, a yieldab'le retaining-valve for said outlet, a tallow-tube into which said outlet discharges, a casing connected with said tallow-tube and provided with a retaining-valve, yielding means for-seat ng said valve, ascrew for ad uSting the last-mentioned valve, an ads;

justable nut in which said screw is mounted,

and a removable cap on said not for covering In test mony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two sub- 7 scribing Witnessesv ROBERT S. M-EARS.

Witnesses: i I

'T. B; ATCHISON,

W. CLARK.- 4 

